07/28/26 11:31:00
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07/28 11:29 CDT 41-year-old new Falcons kicker Nick Folk says the start of
training camp is 'always exciting'
41-year-old new Falcons kicker Nick Folk says the start of training camp is
'always exciting'
By CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) --- Even after 18 seasons in the NFL, kicker Nick Folk
says he still gets excited about the dawn of a new season.
"Always exciting," Folk said Tuesday after reporting for his first training
camp with the Atlanta Falcons. Folk, 41, and the Falcons will have their first
practice on Wednesday.
"I tell everyone, there is nothing like playing on Sundays," Folk said. "Being
in front of people, being in front your fans and playing, there's nothing like
it. So training camp is just the start of that. And I'm just excited to kind of
get going."
Folk signed with the Falcons on March 9, three days before the team signed
free-agent punter Jake Bailey.
The Falcons' interest in Folk was easy to explain after the team went through
three kickers --- Younghoe Koo, Parker Romo and Zane Gonzalez --- in 2025.
Folk has enjoyed consistent success after being drafted by the Cowboys in 2007.
He leads all active kickers with 431 career field goals, playing for Dallas,
the New York Jets, Tampa Bay, New England and Tennessee.
Folk joins the Falcons after claiming the NFL's best field-goal accuracy in
three consecutive seasons. He made 28 of 29 attempts for the Jets last year
after also having only one miss in back-to-back seasons with Tennessee --- 29
of 30 in 2023 and 21 of 22 in 2024.
Folk said he was drawn to the Falcons by the chance to work with their new
special teams coach, Craig Aukerman, who was his coach at Tennessee. For Folk,
it's also a reunion with Bailey, who was his teammate in New England.
"Craig Aukerman was a lot of it," Folk said. "I enjoyed playing for Craig.
Having Jake come as well, I played with him for four years in New England. It
was just a whole bunch of things. ... To come out here, there's a lot of
positives to it. I like the way the team is going. Hopefully we can get over
the top and get in the playoffs."
The Falcons are led by a new leadership team of president of football Matt
Ryan, general manager Ian Cunningham and coach Kevin Stefanski. The team has
had eight consecutive losing seasons since its last playoff appearance in 2017.
Atlanta boasts a strong offense led by running back Bijan Robinson, who was
named All-Pro after leading the league in yards from scrimmage last season. The
offense also boasts established leaders in wide receiver Drake London and tight
end Kyle Pitts, who each landed new contracts in the offseason.
The big question on offense will be quarterback, where Michael Penix Jr. is
expected to compete with Tua Tagovailoa for the starting job. Tagovailoa led
the first-team offense in 11-on-11 drills during offseason work while Penix was
limited as he continued his recovery from surgery in November to repair the
anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
The Falcons have not said if Penix will have full clearance for the start of
training camp. Stefanski did not speak with reporters on Tuesday. The
quarterbacks were not seen in the portion of the veterans' check-in process
made available to media.
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